Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said leaders must ensure the year 2023 births the emergence of a new federation in Nigeria otherwise the country may be “sliding into ground dissolution.”
Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while playing host to members of Tiv Professionals Group (TPG) led by Prof Zacharys Anger Gundu, Obasanjo said 2023 must mark a watershed for Nigeria.
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“I do believe that whatever else we do we have to make the year 2023 a watershed for Nigeria. The year 2023 should give us the beginning of the emergence of a new federation or failing that, and the rot continues, then we are going to be sliding back to ground dissolution. God forbid,” he said.
Obasanjo expressed fear that those beating drums of division in Nigeria don’t think about the interest of the minority ethnic groups.
“And he would say to me if the Yorubas can stand as a country, if the Igbos can stand as a country, if the Hausas/Fulanis can stand as a country, if you major tribes decide to break up from the country, where do you want the minority ethnic groups to stand. That, many Nigerians don’t know about, unfortunately.
“Where do we want those minority groups to stand? Wherever they stand, now they are by virtue of Nigeria’s present situation a little bit protected. But if Nigeria breaks up and they are in a smaller country, they will be oppressed. They will always be exterminated. Are we thinking of that? ,” he said.
